Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-11-30

And followed his hayward will,
know whatever, wherever he is,
He's my boy still
-fExchange.
Harvesting Buckwheat.
Unlike other small grain buckwheat
ripens SO late that the sap in it's green
straw can only be dried out by re-
peate0 freezing. 1t has to be cut he
fore frost comes, and must then be
LETT for weeks until the ground freezes.
By this time the seed is SO thoroughly
loosened that a slight Earring will
cause it to fall out. The only binding
possible Is q slight twist around the
top, leaving the expanded butt for
each bundle to support itself. But
the straw soon becomes so light that
heavy winds throw the buckwheat
down. Buckwheat is often thrashed
with the common grain thraeher, but
it needs great power to put the damp
straw through if done early, and if
thrashing is delayed until late much
Of the grain will be lost. Probably
the least expensive mode of thrashing
buckWheat is the old-fashioned way
of failing it out. The first freezing
weather will loosen the grain In the
head, when it may be lifted carefully
into wagons with tight bottoms
and drawn to the barn floor. Laying
the heads together, the straw need
not be thrashed more than half way
down the butt, and by turn
ing and shaking nearly all the
grain may be got out. The straw
should not be thrown into the barn
yard, where it will 60 into the ma
nure pile. What seed it contains will
make bad weed in most crops. The
straw has very little value as a. feed
and its best use is to throw over
sheds where farm stock is kept. 1t
makes q good protection against cold,
but after one or two years rots down
into manure.
Applying Fertilizers at Intervals.
The advantage of applying fertil-
making q single application at the
time ofsowing seed cannot be gainsaid.
If the fertilizer is applied after the
land is plowed, and no after applica-
ton Is made, the crop not only is put
TO greater exertion to derive plant
food, but the natural result will be
that not only will the rains dissolve
and carry it off but many of the SUBJ
stances are either dispelled in the at
mosphere or become, by chemical &C.
ton, partly inert. The plant will
thrive better when fed on small guam
titles often than on large quantitiesless
frequently. There is q similarity in
that respect between q plant and an
animal that is surfeited at times and
sparingly fed at others. The food
must always be within easy access, in
stead of gradually diminishing as the
plant advances in growth.
In some Experiments made with
corn, using guano at the rate of 200
pounds per acre, in connection with
the same quantity Of superphospnate
and kainit, farmer fertilized his
corn, for comparison, by two differ
emit methods. On one acre he applied
the mixed fertilizer at the time of put
ting Il the seed. On the other plot he
ing, one-third when the crop was
about three feet in height and the
other third after the corn had begun
to tassel. After each application, ex-
cept the last, the cultivation was used
between the rows, the corn having
been planted wide enough to admit of
good cultivation both ways. But lit
tie difference In growth was observed
at first, though the field which had
received the three applications gave a
greener tinge when the corn wae
d bout to tassel. It also filled ont
better, grew taller, gave a larger pro.
portion of fodder and yielded 20 per
cent. more corn.
Experiments have also been tried
with Fertilizers on oats in somewhat
the same manner. A Georgia farmet
reports to the Southern Cultivator
that he used $50 pounds of guano on
three separate plots, each receiving
that quantity. On the first plot he
used all the guano at once, before
sowing the need. On the second plot
be used one half the quantity at the
time Of seeding, and one-half at the
time the oats were shooting. On the
third plot, he used one-third the
quantity at seeding time, one-third at
the time of shooting. and one-third
when the oats were IN blossom. The
weight OF the sheaves on the first plot
was loo pounds, on the second LAT,
and on the third 1853. On the trial
on rich and poor soils the advantage
was largely in favor of fertilizing poor
soil at intervals. Experiments were
then made on two other plots with
homemade compost, and the re-
suits were equally in favor of the ap.
plication of the compost at different |
periods.
AS the above experiments were
made in two different sections, they
are more valuable than may be sup
posed. If we can increase the yield of |
crops by gradually feeding them instead |
Of putting in q large quantity only |
at the time of seeding, the quantity of |
fertilizer may be lessened in order to
get Only the average yield, but as that |
course would be of no advantage, the
ull allowance may be used, relying |